Why does closure compiler renames property with goog.exportSymbol?

Question

I use Closure Compiler online tool for testing of my js code in advanced mode.

My code snippet is the following:

// ==ClosureCompiler==
// @compilation_level ADVANCED_OPTIMIZATIONS
// @output_file_name default.js
// @formatting pretty_print
// ==/ClosureCompiler==

// ADD YOUR CODE HERE
/**
 * Base namespace for the Closure library.  Checks to see goog is
 * already defined in the current scope before assigning to prevent
 * clobbering if base.js is loaded more than once.
 *
 * @const
 */
var goog = goog || {}; // Identifies this file as the Closure base.

/**
 * Reference to the global context.  In most cases this will be 'window'.
 */
goog.global = this;

/**
 * Returns true if the specified value is not |undefined|.
 * WARNING: Do not use this to test if an object has a property. Use the in
 * operator instead.  Additionally, this function assumes that the global
 * undefined variable has not been redefined.
 * @param {*} val Variable to test.
 * @return {boolean} Whether variable is defined.
 */
goog.isDef = function(val) {
  return val !== undefined;
};

/**
 * Exposes an unobfuscated global namespace path for the given object.
 * Note that fields of the exported object *will* be obfuscated,
 * unless they are exported in turn via this function or
 * goog.exportProperty
 *
 * <p>Also handy for making public items that are defined in anonymous
 * closures.
 *
 * ex. goog.exportSymbol('public.path.Foo', Foo);
 *
 * ex. goog.exportSymbol('public.path.Foo.staticFunction',
 *                       Foo.staticFunction);
 *     public.path.Foo.staticFunction();
 *
 * ex. goog.exportSymbol('public.path.Foo.prototype.myMethod',
 *                       Foo.prototype.myMethod);
 *     new public.path.Foo().myMethod();
 *
 * @param {string} publicPath Unobfuscated name to export.
 * @param {*} object Object the name should point to.
 * @param {Object=} opt_objectToExportTo The object to add the path to; default
 *     is |goog.global|.
 */
goog.exportSymbol = function(publicPath, object, opt_objectToExportTo) {
  goog.exportPath_(publicPath, object, opt_objectToExportTo);
};

/**
 * Builds an object structure for the provided namespace path,
 * ensuring that names that already exist are not overwritten. For
 * example:
 * "a.b.c" -> a = {};a.b={};a.b.c={};
 * Used by goog.provide and goog.exportSymbol.
 * @param {string} name name of the object that this file defines.
 * @param {*=} opt_object the object to expose at the end of the path.
 * @param {Object=} opt_objectToExportTo The object to add the path to; default
 *     is |goog.global|.
 * @private
 */
goog.exportPath_ = function(name, opt_object, opt_objectToExportTo) {
  var parts = name.split('.');
  var cur = opt_objectToExportTo || goog.global;

  // Internet Explorer exhibits strange behavior when throwing errors from
  // methods externed in this manner.  See the testExportSymbolExceptions in
  // base_test.html for an example.
  if (!(parts[0] in cur) && cur.execScript) {
    cur.execScript('var ' + parts[0]);
  }

  // Certain browsers cannot parse code in the form for((a in b); c;);
  // This pattern is produced by the JSCompiler when it collapses the
  // statement above into the conditional loop below. To prevent this from
  // happening, use a for-loop and reserve the init logic as below.

  // Parentheses added to eliminate strict JS warning in Firefox.
  for (var part; parts.length && (part = parts.shift());) {
    if (!parts.length && goog.isDef(opt_object)) {
      // last part and we have an object; use it
      cur[part] = opt_object;
    } else if (cur[part]) {
      cur = cur[part];
    } else {
      cur = cur[part] = {};
    }
  }
};




//
// Application code
//

goog.exportSymbol('MyApp.util.test', function () {window.alert('It works!')});
MyApp.util.test();

Just copy and paste it into closure compiler and click compile. The code after compiling is the following:

function a() {
  window.alert("It works!");
}
var b = ["MyApp", "util", "test"], c = this;
b[0] in c || !c.execScript || c.execScript("var " + b[0]);
for (var d;b.length && (d = b.shift());) {
  b.length || void 0 === a ? c = c[d] ? c[d] : c[d] = {} : c[d] = a;
}
MyApp.a.test();

As you can see MyApp.util.test() renamed into -> MyApp.a.test(). Is it bug? Because I use

goog.exportSymbol('MyApp.util.test', .....

closure compiler should save this in my code as MyApp.util.test. What's wrong?

Answer 1

MyApp.util.test is being exported properly. If you look at a jsbin here you can inspect the method : http://jsbin.com/jajux/1/edit

It is renamed to MyApp.a.test because that original call takes place inside the code which is then compiled. While it will be exported globally as MyApp.util, inside the compiled code it may still be renamed by the compiler.